'You didn't do right with us and we will avenge that in the ground' - PCB chairman Ramiz Raja to England and New Zealand for calling off the tours

New Zealand abandoned their white-ball series against Pakistan citing security threat recently. The Pakistan board, however, denied the existence of any such threat and assured the visitors about the same. After New Zealand called off the tour of Pakistan, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also withdrew their men’s and women’s series. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja expressed his disappointment on this matter.

He asserted that the decisions of New Zealand and England to not play against Pakistan is a great lesson for them that they will now look after their own interests. With England cancelling the series, Pakistan’s busy home schedule has been hit with uncertainties. He stated that this decision from England was disappointing but it was also something that was expected.

“I am severely disappointed in England’s withdrawal but it was expected because this western bloc gets united unfortunately and tries to back each other,” Ramiz said. “So you can take any decision on the basis of security threat and perception. There was a sense of anger because first New Zealand got away without sharing information about the threat they were facing.

“Now, this [England] was expected but this is a lesson for us because we go out of our way to accommodate and pamper these sides when they visit. And when we go there, we undergo strict quarantines and we tolerate their admonishments, but there is a lesson in this. That is, that from now on we will only go as far as is in our interest,” Raja said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

Ramiz Raja also pointed the importance of the cricketing fraternity supporting each other. He shed light on the countries cancelling tours against Pakistan and said that there is no one they can complain to about it.

“Our interest is that cricket will not stop in our country and if the cricket fraternity will not take care of each other then there’s no point to it. New Zealand, then England, now we have a West Indies series that can also be hit, and Australia who is already reconsidering. This – England, Australia, New Zealand – is all one block. Who can we complain to? We thought they were our own but they haven’t accepted us as theirs.”

They have a different mindset together towards Pakistan: Ramiz Raja

The countries calling off the tours would potentially affect Pakistan financially. There have been discussions over other countries like Zimbabwe, a second-string Bangladesh or Sri Lanka side filling in the gap. However, Raja feels that Pakistan needs to strengthen itself from within so that other countries do not think to abandon the tours.

“We have to improve and expand our cricket economy so that these countries remain interested in playing us. That is in our interests as well so that our players are paid better and we are respected more. They come to the PSL where they don’t get spooked or fatigued but collectively they have a different mindset together toward Pakistan.” Raja added.

He also put forward the thought that the team now needs to channel all their focus and energies into putting up a good show in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

“We go in the World Cup now and where we had one team in our target – our neighbors [India], they now add two more teams – New Zealand and England. So pick up the strength and develop a mindset that we are not going to lose because you didn’t do right with us and we will avenge that in the ground.”